The Sunflower Diary
by NihonBara
Summary: While working in the basement of the Winter Library, Ivan Braginsky, a shy and lonely outcast, stumbles upon "The Sunflower Diary" and lets loose an ancient demon named Alfred, a rather cheerful and affectionate lord of darkness. Alfred offers to make Ivan a king among men, but all Ivan wishes is that Alfred become his friend. Thus begins a strange adventure. Rusame/ RusChina
1. Chapter 1

_While working in the basement of the Winter Library, Ivan Braginsky, a shy and lonely outcast, stumbles upon "The Sunflower Diary" and lets loose an ancient demon named Alfred, a rather cheerful and affectionate lord of darkness. Alfred offers to make Ivan a king among men, but all Ivan wishes is that Alfred become his friend. Thus begins the strange, sordid adventures of Ivan and Alfred…_

* * *

 **One**

* * *

 _"True friends stab you in the front."_

 _—- Sir Oscar Wilde_

* * *

Headmaster Ludwig looked livid, as if the vein on his square forehead might actually burst. Spittle flew from the lips of his reddened face as he shouted at Ivan. Every now and again he paused to inhale. His fists slammed down on his oversized desk, adding to the dents and shifting the feather quills, stacks of papers, and lone ink pot. By the tenth hit, the ink pot had migrated close to the edge where Ivan stood with his head bowed and his eyes glued to the ends of his leather shoes.

"Do you have any idea the trouble you caused! Answer me, Braginsky!" Ludwig yelled, slamming his palms down. The ink pot hopped closer. Ivan opened his mouth to answer, but Ludwig continued, "Felicianio was terrified. He passed out from shock! And the potatoes…!"

Ludwig's words began to blend together, and Ivan found himself pretending to listen.

The shadow of a moth flitted across the flagstones and front of the mahogany desk, or maybe it was a butterfly. He debated whether he should risk a glance at the arched window its owner fluttered in. Moths reminded him of _Babchoka_ , one of his first pets. Sweet _Babchoka_ died within two days of Ivan's tender care.

"Braginsky!" Ludwig pounded his fists down hard. Now the ink pot was about to fall. Ivan weighed the risk of moving verse the risk of letting it fall.

He gripped the sides of his hooded robe — synched at the waist by a rope belt — to hide the tremble in his hands. Although he enjoyed listening to arguments, he hated shouting and noisy people. The tail of his beige scarf hung down the front of his robe.

"Braginsky!" Another hit. Two, maybe three more, and the ink pot would fall.

Ivan sniffed, wondering about the strange smell that lingered in Ludwig's office. It was almost masked by room's usual dusty odor. Pasta? That could not be it. Ludwig would never eat pasta in his office, so why did it smell like pasta in here.

"Braginsky!" This time Ludwig slapped his palms down and went quiet, staring expectantly.

Ivan realized Ludwig actually wanted an answer this time. His mind scrambled to remember what Ludwig had asked him. In his nervousness, he responded in Russian instead of German.

"D-Da. I mean… y-yes?"

The crevice in Ludwig's brow deepened; his thick blond eyebrows nearly joined into a unibrow that roofed grey-blue eyes, like the color of a stormy sea.

"What did I just say?"

 _Shit_.

Ivan swallowed hard. Forcing his lips into a weak smile, Ivan said, "Erm… you… were…talking about my pet?"

"Pets!" Ludwig slammed a lone fist down. The ink pot teetered on the brink. "The Winter Library is not a petting zoo, Braginsky! It was bad enough when you brought in strays. Now you bring vermin!"

"I-I…" Ivan hesitated, trying to gather his thoughts. He looked up nervously, eyeing the ink pot. "I didn't mean to cause trouble. _Krysa_ looked very sick. I couldn't leave her to suffer alone."

"So you left a _rat_ in the pantry. A pregnant rat!"

"I thought she was dying. I didn't realize she was in labor."

Ludwig threw up his hands, opening and closings his fists several times as if trying not to explode. He breathed in and out, nostrils flaring with each exhale. When he had calmed, he asked in a tight voice, "What in God's green earth is wrong with you, Braginsky? Did you mother drop you on your head when you were an infant?"

"You keep asking that."

"Dammit, Braginsky!" Ludwig slapped the table with one hand. The ink pot wobbled over the precipice. "You get rid of rats. You don't keep them where we store the potatoes. Do you have any idea how much food is contaminated thanks to you?"

"She looked lonely."

Ludwig sighed heavily, leaned back to massage his temples. He continued in a level voice, "I have tried and tried to understand your _quirks_ , but this is becoming too much. No one will work or live near you. One guy chose to live in a closet rather than near your room. You're a hassle and a distraction. Perhaps it's time you considered a different line of work."

" _Nyet! Nyet!_ " Ivan said, grabbing the edge of the desk and pushing the ink pot back a couple inches. "I can change."

"You've said that before."

"I can do better. Don't sent me away. Becoming a scholar at the Winter Library has been my lifelong dream. I love working here."

"Your work is efficient and you are punctual," Ludwig said, fiddling with a dent on his desk. "You're one of the best and most dedicated, but your social skills are abysmal. And the creatures you bring in here. Last week it was a hawk."

" _Yastreb._ " Ivan shut his mouth at Ludwig's leveled glare.

"The week before it was a dog."

" _Sobaka_."

"And that thing… whatever the hell it was."

" _Yenot_."

Ludwig's scowl silenced him. "The point is, one more incident, Braginsky, and you're fired. I don't care what you're family connections are. This charade has gone on long enough. If I find one more pet, you are gone. Understand?"

"But wh—."

"One more," Ludwig interrupted, holding up a forefinger for emphasis.

"D-Da… yes. I understand," Ivan said in defeat. Without his pets he would have no friends.

"Good. Now I want to speak about another matter." Ludwig slid a folder over, one that had migrated to the left edge. He opened it, nodded, and then said, "You're going to be transferred."

"Tr-transferred? But you said I had another chance."

"Not from the Library. I'm changing your job position. Since work with people doesn't suit you, perhaps you'd do better in place with very little social interaction," Ludwig explained. "Starting tomorrow, you'll work in the Dungeon."

Ivan's gaze shot up, heart speeding up. "The Dungeon?"

He knew the rumors of the dark, windowless, catacombs beneath the Library where thousands and thousands of ancient relics and artifacts had been stored until they could be sorted. It was said to be an eerie place, and no one lasted the Library for long once they transferred to what some called 'the Pit of Despair'.

"Am I really being sent to the place 'where hope goes to die'?"

"I'm afraid so." Ludwig's expression softened, almost became sympathetic. "I didn't want it to be this way."

"Oh, thank you! Thank you!" Ivan said, unable to continue his joy. A giggle even escaped, despite his sister's warning for him not to do that since it disturbed people coming from someone as large and bulky as him. "I always dreamed this day would come."

"You did?" Ludwig's mouth fell open and he gaped at Ivan in stunned horror. "You understand the place I'm talking about?"

"Of course ~" Ivan said cheerfully. "Can I start today? The sun is still up."

"You can't seriously _want_ to go down there," Ludwig said, placing his hands on his desk and leaning forward. He stared as if Ivan was insane. "You're joking, right?"

"Joking? About what?" Ivan asked in confusion.

The vein stood out again on Ludwig's forehead. His face turned the shade of a beet, and he trembled with rising anger. "Get out of my office."

"Did I do something wrong?"

"Out!" Ludwig pointed at the door and Ivan quickly retreated.

"May I go to the Dungeon then?"

"Someone will take you there _tomorrow_ ," Ludwig grated out in a tight voice. " _Tomorrow_."

Ivan paused, hand on the brass door handle, and looked over his shoulder. "Do you smell pasta? Has Feliciano been here?"

For some reason Ludwig turned the deepest shade of red that Ivan had ever seen the man go. Then he exploded, "Out! Out, Braginsky!"

"But I w—."

"OUT!" Ludwig slammed both fists down hard, and there was a sharp crack as the ink pot shattered on the floor.

Black ink oozed toward the rug, the lone decoration in the room. A tense pause followed. Ludwig's brain seemed to be processing what had happened.

"I can see this is a bad time," Ivan said and hurried out the door.

After about two steps, he heard Ludwig's agonizing wail, one that chased him down the hall.

* * *

Candles in little cubby holes in the wall lit the way down the stairs to the cafeteria, a low-ceilinged room full of rows and rows of long tables and benches wedged between thick pillars. There was a glass lantern burning on each end of the tables.

Only a few seats were occupied since the cafeteria staff had just begun to serve food. The people that trickled in threw wide-eyed glances at Ivan before giving him a wide berth. It was as though an invisible bubble cocooned him, one that no one could enter.

Their whispered conversations reached his keen ears. He kept his smile plastered on, pretending not to hear. They said things like:

"I hear he killed Feliciano."

"Don't be dumb. Feli's not dead."

"The potatoes are ruined. He let rats in. _On purpose_."

"Crazy runs in his family. And cruelty."

"The freaks belong in the circus."

"I wish he'd just disappear."

His heart sank, smile straining.

On the verge of leaving and returning near closing, he froze when the most beautiful laugh in the world pierced the cacophony. Heart thudding, he searched for the source and found it, his beloved Yao.

After all his weeks of following and observing Yao from afar, he had not realized that Yao ate dinner this early, likely because Ivan usually worked during this time.

There was Yao, seated in the middle of what appeared to be a cluster of new recruits, with his head craned back and his dark-red lips split wide on his porcelain face, laughing happier than Ivan had ever seen. Ivan focused on burning that image in his brain, envying all the young men and women lucky to be so close to that sight.

Often Ivan fell asleep to fantasies of crushing Yao's slender figure to his broad chest and running his fingers through those silky, ebony locks. In his dreams those oaken-brown eyes gazed up in lust, and that oval face scrunched up in a haze of pleasure as Ivan kissed him all over.

Yao glanced at Ivan suddenly and his happy expression evaporated.

Ivan averted his eyes and hurried into the dinner line. His body felt warm all over. He had been caught looking at his secret crush, a man who existed beyond Ivan's reach.

The person in front of Ivan grumbled about the lack of potatoes when his friend paled and pointed at Ivan. They both gasped, then left the line, as did everyone else. Ivan became free to pick up his bowl of stew, loaf of bread, and an apple. The moment he headed for his seat, the line magically reformed as if he had never existed.

He maintained his calm face as he headed for his usual spot, a seat in the corner that faced a wall. As soon as he sat down, the table cleared and everyone sat elsewhere.

Ivan sighed, tearing his bread into small pieces to dip in his stew before eating. Why did everyone abandon him? What was he doing so wrong?

He had tried giving gifts, but the high-quality knives and letter openers were not well received, nor the antique brass knuckles and bottles of vodka. Ivan tried to make peace with one man who used to worry that Ivan would poison him with Nightshade by giving that man the antidote to Nightshade wrapped in a red bow with the message:

 _You might need this soon._

 _— I.B_

That got Ivan quite the scolding from Master Ludwig.

Everything he did was misconstrued.

He longed for a friend, for someone who understood that Ivan wasn't a monster and he didn't belong in a circus. He was just Ivan.

* * *

Ivan's replayed Yao's laughing face over and over, each time it became more sparkly in his memory. It haunted him all the way to his room which sat past nineteen unoccupied rooms at the the end of a corridor.

Yao was an angel that would never be Ivan's. Did Yao even like men? It was impossible to tell.

Turning the brass knob, Ivan carefully pushed open his door — which got stuck sometimes — and opened it wide enough to slide in. The front edge of his desk had many dents from where the door had banged against it.

After shutting the door, Ivan dropped his leather satchel on the floor and set his lantern on the desk between his box of chess pieces and his stack of books. He pulled out his stool from under the desk, then lifted up the cover of his bed, draped low enough over the side to touch the floor. He reached under, patting around his hand until he found each of hits pets' containers and pulled them out one by one and set them on the desk.

First came _Pauk's_ glass jar with pinpricks in the metal lid. Pauk reared up, backing his legs up the glass. Next came _Zmeya's_ small crate-like container. She hissed inside, parts of her scaly body visible between the gaps. Finally came the metal contain that housed _Lyuagushka_ who gave a ribbit as Ivan removed the lid and peered inside.

Ivan sat down heavily, clasping his fingers together and taking a few deep breathes to calm down. His throat constricted to a pinhole; the words would not leave.

He ran his fingers through his pale hair, fingering his scarf nervously. His gloves hid the clamminess of his hands.

With a deep inhale, he began, "I have bad news. I must release you."

Silence followed until _Lyagushka_ gave a ribbit.

"I know you're heartbroken. I don't want to let you go. _Ever_. But if the Headmaster found you…"

He shut his mouth and buried his face in his palms, smelling the leather of his gloves.

 _Lyagushka_ gave another ribbit.

"You're my only friends. And you, _Lyagushka_ , you've lasted the longest of any of my pets. Three weeks. It's a record. Try to understand. My sisters would be devastated if I failed here, at least _Katyusha_ would."

Another ribbit.

"And I cherish you. I'll find you a good home. Master Ludwig has a lily pond in his private garden. He won't notice an extra guest. We have to be stronger."

 _Ribbit, ribbit_ , the frog continued in a steady beat.

Unable to take anymore, Ivan reached under the thin mattress of his bed and pulled out one of his many hidden flasks of vodka. Alcohol was not allowed in the Library, but he could not do without it.

After emptying the fifth flask, he fell asleep snuggling _Pauk's_ jar, moaning that he wanted to keep them forever.

"Oh _Pauk_ , will I ever have a friend?" Ivan slurred as he snuggled the jar.

Ivan drifted into a dream of a beautiful man laughing in a field of sunflowers. For the first time it wasn't Yao he dreamed up, but a man he had never seen before. A beautiful man who kept his back to Ivan, a man with hair as gold as wheat…

* * *

 **tbc…**

In a dark, dark Dungeon is a dark, dark box and in this dark, dark box is a dark, dark secret…

* * *

 **Note:** Sorry if this started a bit slow, but we're getting to the good stuff soon. The Rusame remains on the distant horizon. I want to emphasize the isolation of Ivan in this first chapter. He's despised by his peers and considered a "freak".

* * *

 **Summary**

* * *

 _Ivan is a shy, lonely outcast whose pets always die or escape, and who people avoid like the Black Death. One day, while working the catacombs of the Winter Library, he discovers "The Sunflower Diary" and unleashes the ancient Demon Lord Alfred Jones from his prison in the pages. The two strike a contract to turn Ivan from social pariah into the most popular man in the Library, but they both may get far more than either bargained for…_ Rusame.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes:** Thank you for the amazing support, and wow thanks to the person who gave an actual critique to boot! I haven't seen one of those on ffnet in a while. I hope you enjoy this update even if it is a bit short. Sometimes I post really long chapters and sometimes really short. It depends on the place in the story.

* * *

 **Two**

* * *

Ivan woke to someone knocking on his door. His skull throbbed from a hangover. Empty flasks clinked around him on the bed. That _tap-tap-tap_ on his door was like a hammer pounding on his brain. He rubbed at bleary eyes, noticing the grey light in his room. It was not even sunrise.

Was the person lost?

"Go away," he moaned at the persistent knocker.

Ivan's mouth tasted like week-old breakfast; his robes and scarf were disheveled from sleeping in them. His gaze settled on _Pauk's_ empty jar and he sat up in shock, realizing the lid was in his hand.

Heart thudding, he sprung up, ignoring the woozy feeling in his head as he searched high and low for his missing tarantula. His eyes widened at the sight of his half-open window.

 _What have I done?_

Poor _Pauk_ had leapt to his death like so many of Ivan's other pets. Ivan clutched at his heart, sickened at the image of that mangled, eight-legged pet. Last night was a haze. He had no memory of removing the lid or opening the window.

That knocking intruded on Ivan's grief.

Annoyed and furious, he rounded on the door. Slamming back the deadbolt, he ripped it open with a snarled, "What?"

He froze at the sight of a shocked Yao gaping at Ivan still with one fist raised in an attempted knock. Ivan's brain shut down, unable to process the fact that Yao was outside his door.

"I-Ivan?" Yao said nervously, lowering his hand. He hugged a wooden clipboard to his chest. "Is this a bad time?"

Ivan made a sound — one that sounded like the blend of "uh" and a shriek — before throwing the door shut. He backed up until his butt bumped into the edge of his desk. His heart hammered loudly in his chest, as if trying to beat its way out.

Why was Yao here?

As if answering Ivan's unspoken question, Yao called in softly, "Master Ludwig sent me."

 _What have I done?_

Ivan started to panic, throat constricting to a pinhole. Yao surely hated him now. Ivan had slammed the door in his crush's face. Why had he done that? His body had acted on its own.

 _Yao hates you, Yao hates you_ , spread like a cancer to every dark corner of Ivan's mind. What could he do? He had not been prepared for Yao to be outside his door. Why Yao of all people?

"My apologies if this is early, but I have a busy schedule today," Yao called softly. Ivan swallowed hard, a painful lump in his throat. His tongue could not form words. "I know you don't like me, but I was the only one willing to train you."

 _Don't like me_. Those words were a knife to the heart. How could Yao think that? Even worse, Ivan had thrown the door shut in Yao's face.

 _Yao… believes I hate him?_

It was too painful. Ivan had to do something to fix this, to reassure Yao. With a shaking hand, Ivan reached forward, grasping the cool handle. He trembled all over, feeling dizzy and queazy inside.

"Ivan?" There was real hurt in that voice. "I… understand. I'll go."

Ivan yanked open the door, yelling, " _Nyet!_ "

Before he knew it he had wrapped Yao up in a bear hug, pulling the slender man close. He squeezed him, head bowed. Their height difference left a stunned Yao barely able to peer over Ivan's shoulder.

"Don't leave," Ivan breathed, savoring the jasmine tea scent that Yao gave off. He smelled wonderful.

" _Mmph!_ " Yao's voice was muffled by his mouth was being pressed into Ivan's scarf.

Ivan shoved Yao away, hard enough to send the man into the wall where he caught himself. Ivan backed up, eyes glued to his feet and face red.

"S-Sorry," he said. "I tripped and fell on you."

A quick glance stunned Ivan. It was hard to be sure in the dim light, coming from the window of his room and from the ends of the corridor, but Yao's face looked a shade darker than usual.

"It's fine," Yao said, turning around quickly. He sounded a little out of air. "Follow me to the Dungeon. I have much to teach you."

Disbelief rendered Ivan speechless. _Pauk_ was entirely forgotten. He stared at his large hands and arms, the very ones that had touched Yao. He had _hugged_ Yao, and it had felt so good. A small smile lifted the sides of his mouth. He could die happy right now.

"Are you coming?" Yao asked, pausing a few feet ahead and glancing over his shoulder.

"One moment," Ivan said, holding up a forefinger.

Then he rushed back into his room and hid the pet containers and empty flasks under his bed. After checking himself in the grimy oval mirror by the door to smooth his hair and tidy up his appearance, he hurried out with a happy smile to follow his beloved Yao.

It felt like a dream.

He and Yao would go down into one of the darkest and most disturbing places of the Winter Library, the Dungeon. A place said to be full of torture devices, accursed creations, and weapons of the ancient world. One could not ask for a more romantic setting.

* * *

 **Notes:** Sorry for the short update. I'm a little slow writing this part of the story, but once we introduce Alfred things will pick up steam.


	3. Chapter 3

**Note:** Thank you those who gave comments and CRITS, wow. Fantastics reading those. Oh, and HAPPPY HALLOWEEN!

I went to the Shibuya Scramble Crossing and wow, dude it was the coolest one yet for Halloween in Japan. If you want to see how big it was, check out some of the vids on it.

* * *

 **Three**

* * *

The air grew colder and darkness pressed closer with every step. Ivan descended into a beautiful nightmare, the type he wished would never end.

A giggle of delight escaped, and Yao glanced over his shoulder at Ivan who blushed. Ivan was not supposed to be happy down here. This was a place of despair, but Ivan could not help it. He loved what others found only horror in.

When Yao looked away, Ivan's gazed fixated on Yao's milky-white nape. It was exposed. Ivan's mind teemed with fantasies of leaving bite marks all over that pale flesh and claiming it for his own.

He shook his head, tearing his eyes off Yao.

Yao's shadow trailed across the walls and narrow staircase as Ivan followed behind, crouched down so his head would not bump against the ceiling. Ivan carried his lantern above the steps, avoiding the cracks.

A cool draft brought a hint of Yao's jasmine scent. Ivan shuddered with desire.

When Yao asked him something, Ivan's mind heard, " _Will you be my first?_ "

"D-Da," Ivan blurted out lost in a haze of lust.

Yao stopped suddenly, and Ivan just managed to avoid colliding into the smaller man. Looking at Ivan sharply, Yao turned his body sideways, planting one foot on a higher step as he regarded with a skeptical expression.

"Is that Russian?"

"D-da… I mean y-yes," Ivan said unable to face Yao. Fearful Yao might sense Ivan's wicked thoughts. He warmed all over, shifting from one foot to the other.

Yao lifted his lantern higher, eyeing Ivan up and down. "You look worried. Is it because this is your first time?"

Ivan froze, going red all over. His ears felt hot from his blush. What was Yao suggesting?

"I-I'm not ready," Ivan managed, voice unsteady.

"No one's ever really ready. You just have to relax and get through it. This is Master Ludwig's orders after all. You have nothing to fear, I'm an excellent teacher."

Ivan's heart thudded; throat constricting to a pinhole. He tried not to stare at Yao's pouty lips. He felt his legs would buckle at any moment, and gripped the wall to remain standing.

"You don't look well," Yao said with concern.

"I'm fine." Ivan felt about to throw up. He had dreamed of this, but now he could only feel anxiety. He had never done it before. Would Yao hate it? Hate him after?

"It's just nerves," Yao said sympathetically. "My first time in the Dungeons was difficult. I think I threw up. But I got used to them eventually."

Ivan nodded, then stopped as his mind understood what Yao had said. "Dungeons?"

"Yes. Your first time in the Dungeons. What else would we be talking about?"

"N-nothing," Ivan stammered, focusing on the ends of his boots and tail of his scarf. He had nearly made a fool of himself. He wanted to crawl into a hole and die. He felt disgusting for thinking such perverse things about his sweet and pure Yao.

After a few moments, they continued their descent.

* * *

A fragrant stench of rot lingered in the air, one that reminded Ivan of his favorite refuge as a child: the crypts of the Braginski Manor. This place had the same malicious atmosphere that always made Ivan feel so welcomed. The only unpleasant part was the quiet. Their footsteps echoed around, hinting at the vastness of the chamber they had entered since leaving the Spiral Staircase via an archway.

Silenced reminded Ivan of his loneliness. If only he could find an noisy companion to share the endless night with. Wouldn't that be heaven?

He glanced at Yao who stayed a few feet ahead in the pool of light his lantern created. No walls or ceilings could be seen, only the bare stone and uneven flagstones of their path. A couple mushrooms had forced their way through the gaps and around the sides of the stones.

Another walkways crossed theirs and Yao paused that intersection and pointed left. Looking over his shoulder at Ivan, he said, "Always go left here. The South Study is this way."

"And what if I choose another way?"

Yao threw him a puzzled look. "Why would you? Over there is where you'll work. This is not a playground."

Yao's light scolding hurt, but Ivan plastered on his small smile to hide it. The silence was thick between them, broken only by their footsteps and the distant drip-drop of water from some unseen place. There was a small of moisture in the air, just beneath the foul stench of this place. And there was a feeling of being watched by _unseen_ eyes.

The eeriness of the Dungeons was downright endearing.

A hint of a wall appeared ahead, one that became clearer with every step. Yao reached into his pocket, keys jangling as he pulled out a keyring and fumbled for a small, silver one. Ivan quickly saw why when he noticed there was a door in that massive wall.

When they reached the door, Yao inserted the key into a rusty locked and wiggled it. Soon he jiggled against it, pushing his side against the door.

"It gets stuck," he muttered.

Ivan watched, feeling warm under his scarf as Yao struggled and ground against the door. Then there was a click and a triumphant-faced Yao pulled back the door, hinges screaming in protest.

The odor of chemicals and dust wafted out. Ivan covered his nose, turning away as his eyes watered. Yao coughed into the crook of his arm and rushed inside.

Ivan ducked under the door and followed, waving a hand in front of his face.

After a few curses in Chinese, Yao gave a "Ah-hah!" and then there was the sound of machinery whirring to life followed by a burning smell. The glass light above the sizzled, popped, and finally turned on in a soft glow that lit the cluttered room.

"Is that… electricity?" Ivan muttered, spell bound by the sight. He had read about it once, in the ancient texts.

Yao nodded, clearing a space on one of the four work tables in the middle of the room so he could set his lantern down. Just moving the books and scrolls kicked up motes of dust that caused Yao to sneeze and cough.

"The switch is over there." Yao gestured behind him at a square panel by the door opposite the one they had come in.

"Incredible." Ivan stared around.

Shelves covered the walls from ceiling to floor, books, globes, potions, jars of ether with specimens and organs, boxes, and a wide assortment of tools crowded very space. Dust coated everything.

"This…" he noticed a dead mouse skeleton at his feet, "is perfect!"

"It is?"

He jumped in surprised when one of the glass lamps overhead sizzled and sparked before settling down. "Th-that… sometimes happens. They're pretty old."

"What powers them?"

"We're not sure. It just works," Yao said. "This place was built before the Great Wars ravaged the world."

"It must be magic," Ivan said. "I heard electricity came from magic."

"There are stools under the tables," Yao said, looking less impressed. "You'll spend your days down here. Probably start by dusting and cleaning up. Then you can work on the book."

"The book?"

Yao coughed lightly into his fist as he patted a large open one in front of him. "This is the book of sorting. It contains what needs to be looked through and sorted. You'll write notes in it as you do."

"It looks like it's been a while."

"The North Study is the busy part. Master Ludwig hasn't been angry enoug — I mean, he hasn't felt the need to anyone to this section in a while."

"How come?" Ivan asked, sliding his foot from side to side and revealing a message in faded, smeared red in that read: GET OUT!

"The last person was quite a prankster, so I heard," Yao said, turning around to search for something on the shelf. "And not organized at all. Where is it?"

"What are you looking for?"

"A box, about this size," Yao held his hands a foot apart briefly. "It's covered in what look like gems. Probably a lot of dust as well."

"I can help."

Ivan paused when he faced the door they had entered, noticing the scratch marks that ran down its middle. He traced a finger down one of them until he found a fingernail embedded in the pine.

"I think you'll do fine down here," Yao said. "Some people can't handle the isolation and the stress of this place."

"So I gather." Ivan began looking, studying the books and scrolls, labelled animal skulls, jars of chemicals connected by cobwebs, and jars of ether which suspended exotic creatures and organs.

Ivan was puzzled anyone could find this place unpleasant.

Yao gave a happy sound and plucked a box browned by dust off the shelf. Carrying it over to the table, he pushed aside several items with his arms and then set it down, waving Ivan over. He grabbed a cloth, as filthy as everything here, and began wiping off the dust to reveal gems on the exterior.

Ivan came over, curious.

"What is it?"

"Very important. Your success down here depends on this. It's a very old relic," Yao explained. "We call it a Box of Eyes."

* * *

( **Note:** Finally! Whew, this chapter was tough to write. I felt no inspiration. Updates should come faster now that we're almost to the super fun part — Alfred's grand arrival. He's going to come like a hurricane into Ivan's orderly and tightly-controlled existence.

What's a Overlord of Chaos like Alfred to do but upend everything?)

* * *

 **Note #2:** For those of you a fan of "Break My Heart", my fem/US and UK story, the reason I have not updated it is because I'm still reeling from the total loss of all the files of it. Pages and pages were lost, even the backup failed. It's all gone. So I'm trying to remember the direction of the story and I've managed to rewrite some. I've been debating posting this there. This story isn't cancelled, it's just got gaps now. I'm afraid there will be some inconsistency since things I wrote in earlier chapters, I forgot why because my notes are gone.

* * *

 **Note #3** :On the other hand, "Boys Over Toys" is going to get its next update in a week or two. I'm close to getting the next on out.


End file.
